


Baby, please remember me once more

by Chubbygaygal



Category: Captain Marvel (2019), Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Emotional Hurt/Comfort, F/F, Fluff and Smut, Hopeful Ending, Light Angst, Reunions
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-17
Updated: 2019-04-17
Packaged: 2020-01-15 06:41:52
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,112
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18493495
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Chubbygaygal/pseuds/Chubbygaygal
Summary: Carol Vers is a mechanic in a small town known for a no strings attached lesbian experience mostly.Maria catches her eye and Carol wants to get to know her but Maria has walls built so high up, Carol isn't sure she can get to her.





	Baby, please remember me once more

Carol Vers smirked when she caught Maria staring at her for the upteenth time and took off her cap and ran her hand through her hair, knowing that her arms flexed the tiniest bit when she did that. She heard the barest gasp coming from Maria before turning around and taking the bottle of water next to her to drink and rile Maria further. 

Maria who she hadn't stopped thinking about since she dropped off her car two days ago at her repair shop. Maria who had the most beautiful smile she'd ever seen. Maria who had a daughter. Maria who could end up being straight  _ and married  _ or not interested. But judging by the little reactions by her today, wasn't totally immune. 

And Carol was shameless and  _ so wrong _ but the married part didn't really bother her. She wouldn't do anything more than flirting, of course. She wasn't a homewrecker. That was one line she’d vowed she would never cross. Sure, people were capable of making their own decisions and facing the consequences that came with. But Carol would never be the one to be involved willingly with someone who sees it worth it to cheat.  She just... liked the thrill of making seemingly straight women question their sexuality.

Maria and daughter had moved into town about a year now but no one really knew who Maria was. They lived a little bit outside town, almost in the middle of nowhere with no neighbours. There were numerous rumors around about her life, one of them being that her husband was a military man. No one knew anything substantial about her though. Carol wanted to know her, both bibillically and literally. There was just something about her...

Wiping her mouth with the back of her hand, she turned to look at Maria whose gaze was where her throat had been a few seconds ago. She snapped her eyes back to Carol's face but not before they lingered on her lips.

_ Well hello there.  _ So the lady definitely was interested.

'So, Mrs Rambeau...'

'Miss.' Maria softly interjected.

Carol paused, then feigned confusion even as she celebrated inside. 'Sorry?'

'Miss Rambeau... but you can call me Maria.' 

Carol gave her a slow flirty smile, glad that she wouldn't be  _ tempted  _ to be a homewrecker because the more she spoke with Maria, the more she started wondering why exactly she couldn’t have her. She let her gaze linger on Maria’s lips for a beat before she asked, 'Is that so?'

Maria flushed, her eyes flicking down to the ground before coming back up to meet hers again. Carol was hooked. 

Maria cleared her throat before she gestured to the car. ‘So… is ol’ Betty gonna make it?’

Carol gave Maria a knowing smile, pointing the cap at Maria before putting it on backwards. ‘Interesting thing actually,  _ Maria…  _ I have never seen a more properly maintained 1966 Beetle in a while. So properly maintained that… the problem was that it seemed that  _ someone  _ had loosened something on purpose…’

Maria looked anywhere but at Carol this time, clearing her throat again, ‘Really? T-that’s absurd.’

Carol walked slowly towards Maria, wiping her hands on the greasy towel she used before putting it in her back pocket.  ‘I was curious though, as to why you brought your car to me, when Keith Clark couldn’t stop gushing about how you fixed his car when it broke down beside the road the other day.’

Maria closed her eyes briefly, muttering a curse that Carol wouldn’t have heard except for how she was now standing next to Maria with less than a foot between them. Maria smelled  _ divine  _ and Carol resisted the urge to deeply inhale the scent and fill her lungs with it.

‘You’re good, Rambeau, maybe even as good as I am. So, what I’m wondering, is why come here when you didn’t have to?’ 

Maria met her eyes, determined, all the shyness almost all gone. ‘I think you know why.’

Carol took a step forward. They were sharing the same breathe and if Carol wanted to know how Maria’s lips tasted, all she had to do was lean forward. She really wanted to know. ‘Do I?’ she whispered.

Maria’s eyes flicked down to Carol’s lips a couple of times. ‘Yeah.’ She let her hands trail up to Carol’s forearms, then to her shoulders. Carol wasn’t really expecting Maria to make the first move and judging from Maria’s smirk, it showed on her face.

‘Yeah,’ Carol echoed before leaning in, giving Maria time to pull away if this wasn’t what she wanted. Maria met her halfway.

Carol wasn’t going to be those people; she wasn’t going to say that kissing Maria felt like she understood what all those songs were about, she wasn’t going to say she felt or heard fireworks. She wasn’t.

But,  _ god,  _ kissing Maria was incredible. Carol felt the  _ want  _ in the kiss. Most of the girls she kissed were usually timid and unsure. Maria wasn’t. Maria knew what she wanted.

Carol’s cap was pushed of her head as Maria run her fingers through her hair, one cupping her head. Carol’s hands pulled Maria to her, one on the little of her back and the other resting on her waist, her thumb drawing circles on the exposed skin there.

It was probably blasphemous, but Carol thanked God every time she got to hold a woman. Their soft bodies and their scents and just… everything about them. She ‘d had an experience with a guy once and if she hadn’t been sure before, she sure then. They hadn’t even made it to third base before Carol just left. Men were just so … plain. They probably were great but Carol would never get it. 

Maria’s hands moved to her breasts and that was it for Carol’s composure. She led Maria to the back room and locked the door. Maria pushed Carol slowly towards the chair, the desk a mess of files and books. Maria straddled Carol, keeping her eyes on her as she opened her blouse slowly, revealing her lace bra. It seems like Maria knew exactly what was going to happen when she’d come into the shop today. 

Carol felt like she’d just taken a punch to the gut. Carol felt a little fear creeping in as Maria unhooked her bra and let it fall on the desk before leaning down to kiss her. She wanted Maria. She wanted to know everything about her. She wanted to have more than a night with Maria. 

She usually never allowed herself to go there. Most of them never wanted more than a night with Carol. They just wanted to know how it felt like with another woman and because Carol was the only out lesbian in town so why not. They promised to call but they never did. They avoided eye contact with her in the street the next day or acted like nothing happened.

It hurt, but she learned to act like it didn’t bother her. She stopped expecting. She stopped waiting for calls that would never come. She avoided them as they walked hand in hand with their new boyfriends.

She didn’t understand why she was expecting with Maria Rambeau when a few minutes ago she’d promised she’d stick to flirting.

So she shut off the logical side of her brain and focused on Maria and her body and her fingers inside Carol as she grinded on Carol’s fingers that had made their way into her pants over her soaked panties since she still had a bit of grease on her hands.  _ Next time she’d have to scrub them clean if she wanted to feel Maria clench around them. _

Fuck. There she went, thinking about next time. 

But how could she not when Maria had her fingers inside her, her thumb circling her clit, and her chest pressed upon Carol’s now bare chest.  _ God, she was beautiful,  _ Carol thought as Maria started getting close. She was quiet, like Carol, with the occasional moans and whimpers here and there.

Carol could feel her own climax close by, but she wanted to see Maria come first. She increased pressure on her clothed clit and bit her ear as she pinched her nipple. ‘Come for me, Maria.’

Maria’s breathe was shallow and fast as she pulled back to look at Carol’s face. Then she was coming, her body trembling as the aftershocks went through her. She didn’t stop moving her hand though and Carol was coming soon after when Maria leaned down and captured a nipple in her mouth.

After they’d both come down from their orgasms, Maria slumped over Carol, Carol closed her eyes and cursed herself a million times. It had been a while since she had a real interest on someone. She avoided these situations when she could. Carol fell fast and she knew it. Low expectations. But Maria… Maria she liked. It was going to hurt when Maria did what they always did.

But as Maria lifted her head up to smile at Carol, giving her a small peck on her lips, Carol thought that it was worth it for now. Future Carol would deal with the hurt. Present Carol would enjoy now, she thought as she lifted a surprised Maria onto the desk and slid down her panties, smiling as she leaned forward to give Maria an experience she would never forgot even if she never talked to her again. She wouldn’t forget the feeling of Carol tongue just as Carol wouldn’t forget the little noises she pulled out of Maria as Maria held tightly onto Carol’s hair as she came, hard, with Carol’s name on her lips.

*

Carol knew what happened after but that didn’t mean it hurt any less. 

Moreso because it hadn’t been just one night. Maria had come back a few more times in the past month and they always ended up in the back room. Carol always made sure to thoroughly wash her hands when she did. 

She never called, just texted that she was on her way, and always left after. They talked a little before they got into it and during… but Maria never revealed much about herself. Carol got a sense of a heavy sadness in her sometimes but that was it. Not that Carol revealed anything important anyway. But she was following Maria’s lead. Maria...felt familiar, she couldn't understand why either. Maybe it's because they were meant to be. Fate or whatever shit was involved in this, wanted them to be together. But apparently Maria didn't feel that.

It was her own fault really. She’d allowed Maria to keep coming and leaving. She did try to suggest that they take this someplace else severally, offered to cook or have lunch, but Maria declined every time. She should have known. She should have just been satisfied with the sex, but Carol wanted more. She did even before Maria entered her shop.

Now, now Maria was avoiding her gaze as she explains to Monica why vegetables were good for her. She’d seen Carol approaching in the supermarket aisle, had seen the wave Carol had given her. But she acted like she hadn’t. It wasn’t the first time she’d done that. She never spoke to her in public, just when it’s just them in the shop.

Carol could take a hint, so she picked up her cart and walked to the counter to pay for them, trying to convince herself that it was because Monica was around and Maria didn’t want any complications for now.

But Carol was tired. She didn’t know how guys did the whole sex thing and not get attached. She never slept with someone more than twice to avoid getting attached. However, she was getting to her thirties and she couldn’t keep doing this anymore.

She craved roots. She never showed it, but she was sick of being lonely. And she was sick of this town. She didn’t have any real friends here anyway. Most of the folk were religious, so they either damned her to hell half the time, or cowed in fear that they would ‘catch the gay’ from her if she stood near them. Some were nice, but Carol also never trusted easy. Her only friends  had been Amy and her husband Brian. They’d lived next door to her and had helped her move in when Carol came into town three years prior. They had no problem with her sexuality, what with Brian being bisexual, they got it.

But Amy’s mother got sick and they left months ago, to care for her and that was that. They kept in touch of course, but Carol missed them a lot. She had no one else to turn to when she felt low or happy. Despite her rough/tough look, Carol was mostly just a soft and gooey mess on the inside most times. Amy and Brian got that. She found herself in their apartment most of the time, cuddled between them. 

With them being gone, Carol didn’t know why she was around anymore.

_ Time to move on,  _ she thought, as she sipped on her beer on her balcony and looked out to the sleeping town. 

*

‘Word around town is that you’re leaving.’

Carol turned to see Maria standing by the doorway, arms crossed.

Carol turned back to her putting her stuff in the last box she had left, ‘Yup.’

She picked up the box and walked out, not really caring if Maria followed her or not. She did follow as Carol packed the box on the back of the truck along with her tools, things she’d packed from the house and her Harley, strapped to the front cab of the pickup. She didn’t own much anyway.

She still had to leave the keys to Mr Lee, the owner of the building, but she was done. She turned to look back at the shop, wondering if she’ll really miss it. It hadn’t been a bad gig. People still didn’t approve of her ‘lifestyle’ but they trusted her skills when it came to repairing their cars.

‘For good?’ Maria asked. Carol let her gaze linger on the front of the shop before looking at Maria. After the supermarket thing, Carol had stopped answering her texts and kept busy when Maria stopped by a week later after Carol ignored her texts. She didn’t contact her again or stop by. Carol was okay with that.

‘Yeah.’

They looked at each other for a moment, Maria looking like she was contemplating something. Finally, when no one said anything, Carol tried for a smile before taking her keys out of her pocket. ‘Well, I guess this is goodbye. Take care of yourself, Maria.’

She’d just opened the door to hop in before Maria was slamming it close. ‘That’s it Vers? Goodbye?’

Carol couldn’t hide the shock on her face. She also couldn’t help get angry. Maria had no right to sound like Carol was doing something  _ wrong _ . ‘What do you want me to say,  _ Rambeau?’  _ Carol was being nice. She was being polite, dammit. Maria sometimes just  _ left  _ Carol, with just the hint of a smile on her lips. No goodbyes, no nothing. Carol always felt dirty after that.

Now, Maria had the audacity to act like Carol was the one just walking out.

‘I thought that … Didn’t it count for something?’

Carol couldn’t believe what she was hearing. ‘How dare you! How dare you act as if I’m just up and leaving you when you have been doing exactly that to me every time. When you can’t even stand to look at me in public! When you haven’t bothered about me at all, Maria.’

Maria looked at least guilty about that. ‘I.. I just can’t … I need to think of Monica. I can’t let people bullying her or mistreating her because of this.’ Maria ran a hand over her face. She looked tired. She looked defeated. Carol instantly forgave her. She’d gathered that Maria was a single mother from the little Maria had shared and she knew it couldn’t be easy. But then Maria lifted her chin defiantly and said, ‘Besides, isn’t that your MO? Love em and leave em? A couple of wild nights and that’s it?’

Carol clenched her jaw, the urge to snap was strong. But after a beat, she sighed in defeat. ‘I’m so glad you listen to all those rumours and believe them without coming to me directly. So glad that even after I asked you out several times, you declined, and yet you still believe that.’ 

She shook her head and laughed humorlessly, not looking at Maria. ‘Clearly, you had no intention of getting to know me beyond the sex. I can’t fault you for that. My feelings are my own. I’m just tired, okay? And it’s time to move on from this town anyway. So please… let’s just part ways amicably.’

Maria was looking over Carol’s shoulder, her eyes slightly glistening. She lifted her hands to her face, inhaling deeply before she dropped them and looked at Carol,uncertainty in her eyes.

She started to say something before she shook her head and tried again, her gaze still over Carol’s shoulder. ‘I loved a girl once. She um…’ She closed her eyes and one tear fell down her cheek. She wiped it quickly before she turned away from Carol and looked at the shop instead. ‘We were both pilots.. Airforce. She crashed six years ago. They never found her body.’

Carol suddenly understood. She'd never really loved anyone, but she knew she would have with Maria, and that if she lost her, it would ruin her. If this was how it felt and she didn't know Maria that well, what about if she did?

Maria looked at her as if she was searching for something then laughed, like Carol had, with no humor, full of pain. ‘I avoided women after that. It's more intense for women… Got this far because of Monica… Otherwise, I’m not sure if I’d have survived…’She cleared her throat and wiped her cheeks. There was only ever going to be her for me you know? So it's only ever been men … then you were there.’

‘You're scared.’ It wasn't a question. Carol saw it in her eyes and heard it in her voice. Carol got it now. It didn't hurt any less, but she understood now. Maria was scared of loving and have it taken away again. Carol shouldn't take it personally. Tried to not take it personally.

They stood there in silence, each caught in their thoughts.

Then Maria spoke up. ‘Her name was Carol Danvers. She was my best friend and the love of my life and… Monica’s other mother.’ She was looking at Carol, as if she was expecting something. 

Carol’s heart beat fast in her chest. She was missing something. She was sure she was missing something. But what?

Could Maria know…?

Did she know Carol before...?

_ But if she did, she'd have told me already, right? _

Maybe there was a reason Maria felt familiar? 

_ But if she did, she'd have told me already! _

Carol’s palms were sweaty and her heart was racing, her mouth dry as she deliberated on whether to ask Maria. But she couldn't ask directly, she wasn't that brave. She just needed to know.

‘Around six years ago, I uh… was in a car accident. I woke up in a hospital with no memory of who I was or what had happened to me. I don't think I ever will. I-uh …  I don't think i had any family… No one's ever… No one's looking for me.They didn't even see the person who dropped me off in the hospital.’

Maria had turned to look at her when she'd started talking and now… Now Maria was crying. ‘Oh no, baby. Oh  _ god _ !’

Carol’s hands shook as she watched Maria try compose herself.

‘Did you know me?’ She asked finally because  _ she  _ **_had_ ** _ to know. _

Maria looked at her through tears then nodded, a sob catching in her chest.

Feeling a lump in her throat, Carol tried to swallow it down before asking, her voice soft, whispered,‘Am I her?’

Maria nodded again, crying harder.

‘Why? Why didn't you say--’

‘I couldn't. I don't know… I came to town, trying to move on and months later I see you getting groceries. I thought I was going crazy. But then I saw you again and then two more times. Apparently you have lived here for a few years. I was happy at first. You were alive! But then... I was mad. You were alive and you hadn't tried to contact us?’

‘Then I came to your shop that day with my car, waited until Monica had gone to visit her grandparents… And realized you didn't remember me. You had no idea who I was!’ 

She shook her head. ‘I broke down for like a day because of course… Of course you'd be alive but forget everything. Forget me. Then … Then I had the stupid idea that maybe you'd remember me if i kissed you. But then we did more than that and did it a few more times… And you still had no idea.’ 

She looked at Carol apologetically. ‘I was scared that I would lose you again you wouldn't even know! And I was scared I’d tell you and you'd reject me… I was scared that you'd reject Monica… I just didn't know if I could take that risk. I didn't know I hurt you in the process. I was selfish.’

Carol didn't know what to do or say. This was all too much. She was not expecting… If she had packed up an hour earlier and left, she would have probably never known. She felt mostly numb.

‘Why are you telling me this now?’

Maria shrugged, her smile wavering. ‘Because I didn’t tell you and I'm losing you anyway. Because I'm scared of not losing you but you're leaving because of it.’

Carol laughed, sinking down to the ground, leaning on her truck. Maria sat beside her.

They sat there for a while, Carol processing everything and Maria lost in her own thoughts.

‘My nurse at the hospital was called Carol. She was nice and helped me get back on my feet… So I picked Carol as my name, which, wow. Talk about ironic.’ She snorted. ‘I had a necklace on me, and it was all mangle up and the only legible letters were Vers… And I wanted to have a little of the past I couldn't remember with me so that became my surname.’

She looked at Maria, who was looking back at her, love, pain and wonder  in her eyes.

Carol wondered what Maria wanted. So she asked.

‘Do you want me to stay?’

Maria closed her eyes. 

‘Maria?’

She opened her eyes. ‘Yes. With all my heart. But only if you want to.’

Carol looked at her hands, doubt flooding her suddenly. ‘I’m not the Carol you knew. I might never remember… And Monica…’

‘Monica knows. I told her last week. I told her that you are alive.. But you don't remember anything because of the accident. She hasn't seen you though. It doesn't matter if you remember or not. Doesn't matter because you're still my Carol. You're still her at the core of your being. You still know your way around machines. You're still the love of my life. But I know I'm no longer yours. And I can't make you stay if you don't want to.’

Carol was silent a long time before she took Maria’s hand in hers and twined their fingers together. ‘I …You felt familiar from the first moment I saw you. Like coming home. I might not remember you.. But my heart did. My soul did.’

Maria squeezed her hand before moving closer, hope in her eyes.

Carol smiled and leaned in to give her a chaste kiss. ‘If you'll have me… I'm yours. You and Monica’

Maria laughed wetly before wrapping her hands around her and holding tight.

They stayed like that for a while before Maria pulled away and smiled tentatively. ‘So...You think I can still cash in that offer for dinner? Monica is with my mum this weekend. Didn't want to overwhelm you in case.’

‘Yes. Come over.’ Carol kissed her. ‘And I don't mind. I want to meet her whenever you're ready.’

‘Okay.’ Maria sighed, putting her head on Carol’s shoulder. ‘We'll be okay, yeah?’

‘We'll be fine.’ Carol had no doubt. She had a gut feeling that this was really it. They would pull through.


End file.
